Friday, November 30, 2012

Where to Watch Wishes: Grand Floridian Marina

Sometimes the most magical viewings of the Wishes fireworks aren't the ones that are planned.Sometimes the most memorable viewings are when you catch a glimpse of Wishes unexpectedly, or when you can just step out of your room or out of dinner and watch the show - even without the soundtrack it's beautiful. And if you're a Disney person, then you've probably already got the soundtrack memorized in your head!

Today's post is dedicated to just such a spot, at the Grand Floridian Marina.

The marina at the Grand is U-shaped...at the bottom of the "U" is Gasparilla Grill and Games (number 21) and all the outdoor seating. There's a little terrace there right by the water where they sometimes do parties - often it'll be roped off during Wishes for said parties.But if you want to get a little closer to the castle and away from the crowds, venture up the right side of the "U" - along the back of Sugar Loaf and Conch Key, where number 27 is on the map.

This is a magical spot. If you listen carefully, you can hear the music echoing from the speakers outside Gasparilla and from the other side of on the boat dock. These whispers of the soundtrack are just enough - your memory will be able to fill in the rest of the melody!

The elegant white gingerbread balconies of the Grand on either side of you are lit up in all different colors by the bright bursts of light from the fireworks. The street lamps across the water look like a string of Christmas lights bedecking the opposite shore.Wishes is such a popular show - unless you have your own balcony to watch from, chances are there will be other people around. But the Grand Floridian marina is one spot that you'll usually have all to yourself.

The rest of the world melts away, and it's just you, the castle, and the fireworks.Pretty Pixie Dusted.Totally Random Tidbit: The marina at the Grand Floridian is called the Captain's Shipyard.

A Pinch of Pixie Dust is in no way associated with or endorsed by the Walt Disney Company, its subsidaries, or affiliates. For the official Disney website visit: www.disneyworld.com. Photos and text are copyright 2017, Miss Emma.